Tampa Bay Rants and Raves is a weekly airing of national and local politics, sports, lifestyles and nostalgia items from a very politically incorrect viewpoint. As always, beware - some of what is printed here should not be taken literally.

What Roe vs Wade means to the midterms

And the answer is very little, if anything. The media, particularly the left-leaning portion, is going crazy about the supposed leaked opinion that would cast Roe vs Wade aside. If indeed, the leak is legit, it won’t change anything. America is equally divided on the right to life issue – most polls show about a 45-45 split with the other ten percent, we guess, not caring about such a vital issue. But the two 45 percenters aren’t likely to budge on the taking of innocent lives versus “reproductive rights”. While Democrats in Congress want to take over the judicial branch of government with a bill to codify Roe v Wade, what will move voters in November is another thirty cent increase in gas this past week, the average portfolio down 10-15 percent and inflationary pressures that don’t allow folks to keep up a standard of living no matter how much pandering Biden and company do.

Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

Oh the irony! Remember the years from 2009-16 when we all prayed for the health of Barack Obama, lest we be saddled with an even more incompetent successor. Now, six years later we pray for the health of that same incompetent person. It vividly illustrates how far we’ve sunk in terms of national leadership in the past couple of decades.

The City of Clearwater is contemplating selling an asset (its natural gas utility) that adds $3 million annually to its coffers – an action that would put at least 60 people out of work. We don’t see many positives in that scenario.

In a casual conversation about what you would do if you were President of the United States came this reply, “anyone who is dissatisfied with the USA would get a one-way plane ticket to the county of their choice.” That individual has our vote!

The smallish St. Pete-Clearwater Airport continues to thrive albeit on the shoulders of just one carrier (Allegiant). Outside the Sunbelt, more and more smaller airports are losing all their commercial flights. Cities like Williamsport, PA., Cody, WY and Binghamton, NY are among 23 airports that have lost all commercial service over the past two years. While other factors weigh in, the COVID crisis is mostly to blame.

Number of the week – 16% - the average mortgage rate 40 years ago this year. Last year, it was just over three percent. Next year? Who knows?

Education update from the 5:05 Newsletter: First graders in California must now recite from four books in reading circle. They are Dick and Jane, Jane and Jane, Jane Wants to Be Dick and Dick is transitioning into Jane (and becomes a big winner at women’s swim meets and Jeopardy).

100 Years Ago This Week (May 15, 1922): WDAE, 1250 in Tampa, became Florida’s first radio station. In 2000, WDAE moved down the dial to 620 (formerly WSUN).

Sports, media and other stuff:

What a day last week! Rich Strike at 80-1was the biggest upset in a century. And no horse ever won the Derby bearing the number 21 - the number and color scheme reminded one of local short track stock car legend Jim Alvis.

1985 – The last year a Kentucky Derby winner passed on running the Preakness. The horse was Spend a Buck. Now Rich Strike joins him.

14 – The maximum number of entries permitted in the Preakness Stakes which will be run this coming weekend (May 21^st).

This week we celebrate the 100^th anniversary of the birth of Maude co-stars Bea Arthur and Bill Macy.

Some time ago we mentioned there is a Lake Clearwater in the Ocala National Forest near Paisley, Florida. There is also a Clearwater River – in north central Idaho, nearly 80 miles long, traversing several counties including Clearwater County.

Answer: John Hunter. Question: who was the first member of the 10-time World Champion Clearwater Bombers to be inducted into the Amateur Softball Association Hall of Fame? The hard throwing (and hitting) lefthander combined with Herb Dudley to form a virtually unbeatable pitching staff in the 50s and early 60s.

Further fragmenting baseball coverage

This weekend begins the further watering down of coverage baseball fans pay over a hundred dollars (in addition to cable fees) to see. Apple+ will be airing Friday night games available nowhere else. They are free for now, assuming you can access Apple+. The free sampling will end soon. Sunday will start seeing a game each week on the Peacock network, again assuming you can access this network. The Sunday game will air at the unheard of time of 11:30 a.m. Peacock should check with the NFL as to why they start their Sunday games at 1 p.m. One of those reasons, although not the main reason is that an 11 a.m. start means an 8 a.m. local time start for the Padres who are part of the first week of this experiment as they play the Braves. And for Braves fans, it’s a double dip into their wallets as they lose two games to Apple+ and Peacock – part of a package for which they pay a minimum of $110 a year. Thanks, Mr. Manfred.

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